Stage I Oropharyngeal Cancer
Stage II Oropharyngeal Cancer
Stage III Oropharyngeal Cancer
Stage IV Oropharyngeal Cancer

Stage I Oropharyngeal Cancer

Treatment of stage I oropharyngeal cancer may include the following:

• Radiation therapy.
• Surgery.
• A clinical trial of fractionated radiation therapy.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage I oropharyngeal cancer.

Treatment of stage II oropharyngeal cancer may include the following:

• Radiation therapy (external radiation therapy and/or internal radiation therapy).
• Surgery.

Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage II oropharyngeal cancer.

Treatment of stage III oropharyngeal cancer may include the following:

• Surgery followed by radiation therapy or by chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.
• Radiation therapy (for patients with tongue or tonsil cancer).
• Chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy followed by surgery or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of fractionated and/or internal radiation therapy.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage III oropharyngeal cancer.

Treatment of stage IV oropharyngeal cancer that can be treated by surgery may include the following:

• Surgery followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy (for tonsil cancer).
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of fractionated and/or internal radiation therapy.

Treatment of stage IV oropharyngeal cancer that cannot be treated by surgery may include the following:

• Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy with radiation therapy and/or radiosensitization.
• A clinical trial of fractionated and/or internal radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of hyperthermia therapy with radiation therapy.

Following treatment, it is important to have careful head and neck examinations to look for recurrence. Check ups will be done monthly in the first year, every 2 months in the second year, every 3 months in the third year, and every 6 months thereafter.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage IV oropharyngeal cancer.

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